Pharma 2020: Supplying the future

Supply chain, the link between the laboratory and the marketplace, needs a thorough revision
Most pharma have complex supply chains that are under-utilised, inefficient and ill-equipped to cope with the sort of products coming down the pipeline. This new report predicts that in order to meet the demands of a fast evolving marketplace and the shift from patient to outcome, the pharma supply chain will need to undergo a radical overhaul.

Numerous forces are reshaping the environment in which the industry operates and dictating the need for a different sort of supply chain
By 2020, the more diverse product types and therapies with shorter product lifecycles; new ways for assessing, approving and monitoring medicines; increasing emphasis on outcomes; new modes of delivering healthcare where the care is pushed into the community and where access to information on patients will become as important as the products themselves; the growing importance of emerging markets; a greater public scrutiny impacting the ability to manage risk and compliance; and, tougher environmental controls and regulations will oblige companies to strategically reassess their supply chain approach.

Timely access to various emerging technologies will increase the efficiency of the manufacturing and distribution functions
New technologies are emerging to help pharma companies manufacture a wider and more complex range of medicines, distribute them and also to speed the interface with the patient and getting closer than ever.

Collaboration between the parties involved in the healthcare provision will contribute to make the industry more efficient
The supply chains for designing, manufacturing and distributing pharmaceuticals and medical devices plus those providing healthcare services will integrate so that all partners can see the full picture and help them plan ahead more accurately and cost-effective.

What route should companies take?
There are two options for companies focusing on specialist therapies and treatments for orphan diseases and two options for companies focusing on mass-market medicines. Most companies will fall into one of those options although large players may cover both ends of the spectrum.

Pharma 2020: Taxing times ahead, the fifth report in the series, it focusses on the opportunities and challenges from a tax perspective. It discusses how the political, economic, scientific and social trends currently shaping the commercial environment, together with the development of new, more collaborative business models, will exert increasing pressure on effective tax rates within the industry. It also shows how companies can adapt their strategies to support the provision of outcomes-based healthcare and remain competitive.

Pharma 2020: Challenging business models, the fourth in the series it highlights the need for a more collaborative approach to the research, development and delivery of medicines. It also evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of various business models and how each stands up against the challenges facing the industry.

Pharma 2020: Marketing the future, the third in the series discusses the key forces reshaping the pharmaceutical marketplace, including the growing power of healthcare payers, providers and patients, and the changes required to create a marketing and sales model that is fit for the 21st century.

Pharma 2020: Virtual R&D, the second in the series explores opportunities to improve the R&D process. This paper proposes that new technologies will enable the adoption of virtual R&D and by operating in a more connected world, industry, in collaboration with researchers, governments, healthcare payers and providers, can address the changing needs of society more effectively.

Pharma 2020: The vision, first in the series highlights a number of issues that will have a major bearing on the industry over the next 11 years. The publication outlines the changes we believe will best help pharmaceutical companies realise the potential the future holds to enhance the value they provide to shareholders and society alike.